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TOP STORIES

Royal apple makes growers poor
Chandigarh, September 1

Hundreds of apple growers of Himachal Pradesh, who have been camping here at the grain market in the hope that they would recover their costs are being offered by traders Rs 5 to Rs 7 per kg, which is less than even that of a kg of potato.

The Sector 26 grain market has been flooded with apples from Himachal Pradesh. — Photo Pankaj Sharma

PU Students Council poll on Sept 12
Chandigarh, September 1
Elections to the Panjab University Students' Council (PUSC) and students' bodies in local colleges, both government and private, would be held on September 12. However, a formal notification of the election date would be made on September 4.

Village land-use being planned
Chandigarh, September 1
The city is going to get a facelift soon. Use of lands in villages for targeted development is being planned. The UT Administrator, Justice O.P. Verma (retd), today asked his Adviser, Mr Virendra Singh, to prepare a blueprint for development of the area falling outside the sectoral grid of Chandigarh.

Farmers lay siege to Janmarg Chandigarh, September 1 The Janmarg leading to the Punjab and Haryana Secretariat is again under a siege from agitating farmers from Punjab who are camping near Rose Garden and Shanti Kunj. By setting up their temporary kitchens outside the Sector 16 Zakir Rose Garden in Chandigarh on Monday, farmers from Punjab have made their intentions clear of continuing their dharna. — A Tribune photograph

Battalion of surrendered terrorists on cards
Chandigarh, September 1
A Territorial Army (TA) battalion for Jammu and Kashmir comprising only mercenaries who have laid down arms before security forces, is on the cards. A proposal by the Ministry of Defence to raise such a battalion is awaiting formal sanction.

COMMUNITY

Hour-long sermon by eight-year-old
Chandigarh, September 1
An eight-year-old child draped in saffron robes is generally guessed to be an ordinary disciple of one of the many sadhus. But the similar appearance of Aakash Kumar Mishra has not been able to conceal his unusual talent. He can be termed as a child prodigy who can deliver an hour long sermon to thousands of people anytime anywhere.

Bal sadhu, Aakash Kumar Mishra, recites Bhagvadgita shlokas

Panchkula Diary
House tax recovery to expedited
Panchkula, September 1
The Municipal Council has decided to expedite the recovery of house tax from various defaulters. A sum of Rs 70 lakh is due from various individuals, institutions and government offices.

Senior citizens plan celebrations
Chandigarh, September 1
The Chandigarh Senior Citizens’ Association will be organising free medical camps, besides debates, picnics, walks and other programmes, during the month-long celebrations to be organised in connection with the Senior Citizens’ Day. The day falls on October 1.

FAUJI BEAT A tale of broken promises THE grant of “one rank, one pension” to the armed forces personnel has again been “strongly” recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PAC) on Defence to the Inter-Ministerial Committee. In India, such mock exercises are always held before every election. The result of the Internet poll in The Tribune on August 22 shows that 74 per cent people support one rank, one pension for the armed forces. But in this country, unlike the USA, the public thinking has no meaning. A Buddha statue at the officers’ mess of the Jat Resimental Centre.

Steps to promote Delhi as ‘world book capital’
Chandigarh, September 1
The National Book Trust of India will be opening a “string of bookshops” throughout the country, including Chandigarh, for encouraging the habit of reading. The books shall be offered at reasonable rates. One such shop is already functioning at the New Delhi airport.

Book exhibition opened
Chandigarh, September 1
A six-day exhibition of about 1000 books on literature, science and other subjects, organised by the National Book Trust, was inaugurated at the State Central Library, Sector 17, by UT Joint Secretary (Finance) Dilip Kumar.

Probe into premature condemnation of vehicles
Chandigarh, September 1
The municipal corporation of Chandigarh is inquiring into the case of premature condemnation of 20 vehicles causing a loss of lakhs of rupees to the local body. The role of certain employees in the vehicle maintenance section for the negligence is being investigated by a two-member committee of municipal councillors.

Man roughed up at toll post
Chandigarh, September 1
An employee, Mr R.L.Bhasin, who works at the toll collection post on the railway overbridge at Dera Bassi was reportedly beaten up by Army personnel last evening. He received injuries on his head.

Hotel MD denies charge
Chandigarh, September 1
Mr Darshan Singh, Managing Director of Hotel Monarch, Sector-35-C, has denied the allegation levelled against hotel employees that they had beaten up youths. Chandigarh Tribune had published a news item in this regard on August 26 under the headline “Students meet IGP over hotel brawl”.

Sector 38 residents seek better deal
Chandigarh, September 1
The Joint Action Committee of Sector 38 (West) organised a function at which the residents of the area aired their grievances before the Member of Parliament, Mr Pawan Bansal, the Mayor, Mr Subash Chawla and the area councillor, Ms Syayama Negi.

Reiki workshop
Chandigarh, September 1
At least, 300 persons suffering from stress, depression, migraine, heart disease, lower back pain and allergies participated in a two-day reiki workshop held at Ramgarhia Bhavan in Sector 27.

Workshop on nutrition
Chandigarh, September 1
A state-level workshop on ‘nutrition and national development’ was organised to mark the National Nutrition Week at the Community Centre in Sector 32 today. It is being organised by the Food and Nutrition Board, Union Department of Women and Child Development.

PFA activities
Chandigarh, September 1
The People for Animals (PFA), Chandigarh chapter, was started in 1995. Since then the PFA has been active in the city and its satellite towns. It runs an Animal Hospital-cum-Shelter Basera, 24-hours animal ambulance service — Jeev Rakshak Seva. 

HAU help sought for dog sterilisation
SAS Nagar, September 1
Following an increase in the number of stray dogs in the town the Municipal Council here has decided to tackle the problem through sterilisation and not by killing them.

CRIME

7-yr-old raped
Chandigarh, September 1
A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her uncle at Maloya village. A complaint was lodged by the mother of the girl. She came to know about the incident when she saw her daughter weeping and enquired about it.

Theft in Army officer’s house SAS Nagar, September 1 Thieves decamped with cash, gold ornaments and other items from the house of an Army officer in Sector 70 here today. Mrs Paramjit Kaur, wife of Lt-Col Balwinder Singh Chahal and teacher at Government Senior Secondary School, Lalru, said that when she returned home around 3.30 p.m. she found that two locks had been broken and thrown near the door. Burglars struck at the house of Col B. S. Chahal in Sector-70, SAS Nagar on Monday. — Tribune photo Pawan Sharma

EDUCATION

From Schools
Mangat plants saplings in school

Chandigarh, September 1 Vanamahotsava was celebrated with enthusiasm and fervour at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, here today. The DPI (Schools), Mr DS Mangat, who was the chief guest, planted the first amla sapling, followed by the District Education Officer, Ms Rajesh Chaudhary, and Deputy DEO, Mr Chanchal Singh. A sapling being planted by DPI (Schools), Mr D.S. Mangat, at the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37, in Chandigarh on Thursday.

CAMPUS NOTES
PM opens teleconferencing centre on Sept 13
PANJAB University will open its centre for teleconferencing on September 13, connecting it to direct lectures from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The first teleconference will be addressed by the Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, which will be telecast live for the students all over the country.

DAV students given prizes
Panchkula, September 1
A prize-distribution function for the winners of competitions held for students of DAV institutions of Chandigarh, SAS Nagar, Panchkula, Naraingarh and Ambala was organised at Hansraj Public School here today.

SOPU demands grace marks
Chandigarh, September 1
The Students’ Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) urged the Panjab University authorities, here today, to give 20 marks as grace to students of the fourth semester of the Law Department.

Freshers welcomed Chandigarh, September 1 Leaving behind the tradition of ragging, the senior students of Government Post-Graduate College, Sector 46, today welcomed their juniors by organising a Fresher’s Day party. Mr Gautam and Ms Priyanka were selected as Mr and Ms Fresher at the Freshers’ Day party at Government College, Sector 46, Chandigarh, on Monday.

CULTURE

‘Visions 01’ framed

Chandigarh, September 1 ‘Visions 01’, an exhibition of photographs on the new vision in fashion, presented by Alliance Francaise and French Embassy, in collaboration with the Fine Arts Department, Panjab University, takes one away from the routine compositions in fashion photography. Visitors admire an exhibit by French photographer Margane Le Gall displayed at an exhibition organised at the Fine Arts Museum, Panjab University, Chandigarh, on Monday. — A Tribune photograph

HEALTH

City’s first menopausal clinic
Chandigarh, September 1
Providing succour to women, as they pass through the most distressing phase of their life, a city gynaecologist, Dr Meenal Kumar, has dedicated three decades of her life working on the subject of menopause. “The most unfortunate part is that many women continue to suffer as their misery, gloom and helplessness is not recognised as a health problem called menopause.

SPORTS

Badminton meet from Sept 13
Chandigarh, September 1
The 15th Chandigarh state badminton championship will be held from September 13 to16 at the Sector 42 badminton hall. According to Mr M.C. Sethi, newly elected president of the Chandigarh Badminton Association, the events will be held in singles and doubles in men, women, boys, girls, sub- junior boys and girls and mini boys and girls section.

• CHA in final
  

Safai scheme for 4 new sectors
Chandigarh, September 1
After studying the response of the Sehaj Safai Kendra scheme for the disposal of garbage and horticulture waste at designated places in 10 sectors in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) today decided to extend the scheme to four other sectors.

Auction cancelled
Chandigarh, September 1
An auction of parking lots adjoining five cinemas in the city was today cancelled after the officers of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh did not find bidders. The prospective bidders protested that the reserved price was too high.

Objections to bylaws invited
SAS Nagar, September 1
The local Municipal Council has invited objections and suggestions from the public on the new sanitations and public health bylaws, a proposal to which had been cleared by the civic body. A period of 30 days has been given for the purpose.

• Additional charge to DSP Devinder